Question of the Day

Should President Trump end 'chain migration?'

Federal authorities yesterday identified the fifth suspected al Qaeda member seen on videotapes found in Afghanistan delivering what Attorney General John Ashcroft described as "martyrdom messages from suicide terrorists."During a news conference, Mr. Ashcroft identified the man as Al Rauf bin al Habib bin Yousef al-Jiddi, 36, a Canadian citizen born in Tunisia who was identified with the help of Canadian authorities through the discovery of a suicide letter found in the ruins of the bombed-out residence of Muhammad Atef, a key aide to Osama bin Laden.Last week, the Justice Department issued a global alert for the five men after the tapes were found, identifying four of the suspected suicide terrorists as Ramzi Binalshibh, Abd Al-Rahim, Muhammad Sa'id Ali Hasan and Khalid Ibn Muhammad Al-Juhani."Over the last week, we've received hundreds of leads from conscientious citizens across the nation and around the world," Mr. Ashcroft said. "With these leads and further analysis of evidence recovered from the rubble of Muhammad Atef's house in Afghanistan, we have gained additional information about the fifth suspected terrorist."Mr. Ashcroft said the suicide letter found in Atef's house, which is still being fully analyzed, was recently translated. He said authorities also have identified an associate who may be traveling with al-Jiddi. Faker Boussora, 37, a Canadian born in Tunisia who "may also be involved in a martyrdom mission."In the letter, dated August 1999, al-Jiddi reportedly pledged to give his life in the battle against infidels."Today's announcement demonstrates the extraordinarily close and cooperative relationship that has been built between the United States and Canadian law enforcement," Mr. Ashcroft said. "Today's announcement is another example of the integrated effort we are pursuing to protect all people of all nations from cowardly acts of terrorism."Last week, Mr. Ashcroft following the discovery of the videotapes called on the public worldwide "to assist in the effort to identify, locate and incapacitate terrorists or those who are suspected of planning additional attacks against innocent civilians." He said the tapes showed the five men training for possible future strikes against targets in this country and abroad.Atef, bin Laden's second-in-command, is suspected by U.S. authorities of having directed terrorist operations for the al Qaeda network. He is believed to have been killed in the U.S. aerial attacks in Afghanistan.Of the four men identified last week, Binalshibh, a Yemeni citizen, was an associate of the September 11 suicide hijacker Mohamed Atta. In an indictment handed down in December against Zacarias Moussaoui, who is awaiting trial for conspiracy in the September 11 attacks, Binalshibh was named along with Atta and the 18 other hijackers as an unindicted co-conspirator.The Moussaoui indictment describes Binalshibh as a member of an al Qaeda cell in Hamburg, Germany. It said he made several unsuccessful attempts to obtain a visa to enter the United States before the September 11 attacks. After Binalshibh was refused entry, he is suspected of having acted as a financier and facilitator of terrorism, transferring funds to Moussaoui and others from Germany.Mr. Ashcroft said little is known about the other men on the tapes, although investigators are "extremely interested in identifying and locating these individuals as soon as possible." The Justice Department has released photos and other information to law enforcement and intelligence agencies worldwide.